Collateral Damage
by BigTimeHiddlestoner
Summary: She is a Beta, forced to conceive and carry a child for her step-mother. He is an Alpha, never accepted by his peers. Both are social outcasts. Together, will they eventually be able to overcome the obstacles and find love, or will the past tear them apart, leaving them both on their own forever? Alpha x Beta x Omegaverse AU High School FORMATTING ISSUES NOW FIXED.
1. Natasha's Flashback

**I know, it's been forever since I've posted anything. Sorry about that! Anyways, this chapter contains rape and non-con, so if this is upsetting to you, please PM me, and I'll give you a quick summary. **

**For anyone who is not familiar with Omegaverse, it means that humans possess the characteristics of wolves. They have a human body, but they go through heats, and they have mates. They also have a pack hierarchy similar to wolves that consists of Alphas, Betas, and Omegas. Omegas go through heats, and only an Alpha or a Beta can mate with them. If any more clarification is needed, please feel free to drop me a PM. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own MARVEL or any of their affiliates. I am not making money by writing this. It is for entertainment purposes only. **

Chapter One

September 2nd

Natasha's P. o. V:

I lay on my bed, silent tears trickling down my cheeks. Tomorrow is the first day of high school, which is stressful enough under normal circumstances, let alone in mine. One hand absently caresses my slightly swollen belly, thinking about the circumstances that led to the child forming in my stomach.

*flashback, two months ago*

Natasha's P. o. V:

I can feel my heat rushing through my system, flushing my skin, dilating my eyes. I know that it is to be expected. I did just turn thirteen a few weeks ago. However, nothing could have prepared me from the words that come out of my step-mother, Camille's, mouth. "You know that I am infertile. That's why I adopted you. I wish to have another child, but there is something so much simpler than adoption, now that you are maturing."

I shoot her a questioning look, wondering where the conversation is going. "I can see that you do not understand. I am going to have you bear me a child. You will conceive it, since I am unable to do so, but once it is born, I will become the sole caregiver. Mr. Richards has agreed to help me."

Mr. Richards is our neighbor. He's around 6'5", and is about 220 pounds. He always flirts with my step-mother, and I've caught him eyeing me on several different occasions. He comes out of our kitchen, his eyes almost as dilated as mine. I can see the huge bulge in the front of his pants.

A sheer sense of doom settles in my stomach, making me feel sick. "Go ahead and go to her bedroom. I will wait for you outside," my step-mother informs the large man. He nods and grabs me by my hand, dragging me to my own room. I struggle, but am no match for his brute strength. He picks me up and carries me through the doorway, closing and locking the door behind him. He places me on my bed, on my hands and knees.

"Do not move," he commands. I have no choice but to obey, his voice carrying the power of the Alpha that he is. He takes rope and ties me to the bedposts, making it so that I am unable to move. Once I am sufficiently restrained, Mr. Richards begins ripping my clothes off, overcome by the hormones in the air. I can do nothing but whimper and cry as he begins inserting his fingers into me.

When he has deemed me sufficiently slick, he removes his fingers and replaces them with his manhood. He slams into me, tearing my hymen and causing me to sob in pain. Not once does he slow, until his thrusts become erratic, and he fills me with a hot liquid. I can feel his knot swelling, locking us together. I struggle to get away from him, but it is to no avail. Any movement at all hurts my already sore channel. Defeated, I freeze, waiting for the moment to end.

About ten minutes later, I can feel his knot going down, freeing me from him. He pulls out and begins to stroke himself lazily, bringing himself back into a hardened state. He stands over me, slowly stroking himself. At last, the inevitable happens. His hot liquid spurts over my back, making me cringe with disgust. He rubs the juice into my skin, marking me, telling all other males to back away.

My shoulders shake with sobs, my cheeks burning with humiliation. When he is sure that my skin has absorbed all of his seed, he brings his teeth to my neck and bites down sharply, marking me as his. It will take the mark a few months to fade, more than enough time to ruin my life. It will never go away completely. When he is satisfied with his claim on me, he bends down again, sniffing the air.

He sniffs at my neck tenderly, and I have to bite back a snarl. He stands back up, satisfied with his work. As he unties me, he begins to talk. "Thankfully, this will not have to happen again. Your scent has already changed. You are going to bear my child." With that information, he leaves, closing the door behind him. I can hear him relaying the information to my step-mother before he leaves.

My door opens, and my step-mother sits at the end of the bed. "Really, it's for the best. You'll thank me for it, I just know it." I whip my head around, not caring that my eyes are red from crying.

"No, Camille. I will NEVER thank you for what you've done to me," I snarl, more tears coursing down my cheeks. Camille slaps me, hard. I bite my tongue to keep back an angry retort.

"I took you in when nobody wanted you. I gave you a home, food, a life. This is how you repay me? You're a selfish bitch. I can see that now, but you have served your purpose, so you may continue to live here." I shoot her a murderous look, calculating the best way to get rid of the life inside me.

"I can see that you are already planning to get rid of this child as soon as you can. As an Alpha, I forbid you to do anything that could harm this child in any way, whether it be direct or indirect. You must eat properly. You cannot endanger your life or the child's. Do you understand?" I nod, not bothering to conceal the hatred in my eyes. "Good." With that, she stands up and leaves me alone.

I grab a new pair of clothes and go into the bathroom. Once there, I lock the door and turn on the shower. While the water is warming, I examine the mark in my neck. It is a ragged mark, one that is sure to leave a scar. More tears trickle down my cheek, and I step into the shower, where I scrub my skin raw, trying to wash away the smell of the man who stole my childhood

*end flashback*

Natasha's P. o. V:

The tears stream down my face as I relive the memories. School is tomorrow, and I am already beginning to show. What am I going to do?

**I hope you liked the first chapter! Please feel free to drop a review :)**


	2. Clint's Flashback

**Thank you to everyone that told me that my formatting was completely wacky the first time I posted it!**

**_Callme TONI:_**** I'm glad to know that you're happy that I fixed it. Thanks for the review and for giving this another chance!**

**_D_****: Unfortunately, there's not much she can do, since Camille's an Alpha and she's an Omega. Awww, thanks! I really appreciate you taking the time to review, and for giving the story another chance. **

**Clint has a dark past, and there's some minor violence in this chapter. Once again, if these are upsetting to you, please let me know, and I'll give you a summary of the chapter. **

**Updates will be on Fridays!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own MARVEL or any of their affiliates. I am not making money by writing this. It is for entertainment purposes only. **

Chapter Two

September 2nd

Clint's P. o. V:

Looking at the calendar on my wall elicits a sigh from me. Tomorrow is the first day of high school. Unlike most kids, however, I am dreading it. The scars on my body are proof that I haven't lived the blessed life that the others have. The scars set me apart, make me an outcast. Even as an Alpha, I will not fit in. As I trace a large, jagged scar on my arm, I remember back to when I got it.

*flashback, three months ago*

Once again, my step-father, Jack, has sent me out on a drug run. He claims that me getting him drugs is my payment to him for adopting me and allowing me to live under his roof.

My parents died in a freak car accident when I was really young. My brother and I were sent to the orphanage together, but my brother was adopted before I was. I spent the years alone at the orphanage, never really fitting in. My dad was teaching me how to shoot a bow and arrow before he died.

Thankfully, the orphanage allowed me to continue practicing, which helped me to cope with the loneliness. They even set up a mini archery range for me, and one of the men there mentored me on how to shoot. During that time, I perfected the skill of archery, which scared many of the kids in the orphanage.

Slowly, the few friends that I had managed to make drifted away, leaving me alone. For three years, I lived in the orphanage without any friends, waiting for someone to adopt me. When my current step-father came in and said that he wanted to adopt me, I didn't hesitate. I didn't stop to think that it could be a worse situation that I was getting myself into. Thanks to my blind trust, I'm now in a worse position than I ever was in at the orphanage.

At first, living with him was okay. I didn't want to go back to the orphanage that I spent six years in, and I was thankful to be out. However, about a month after I was adopted, he starts showing his true colors. He started drinking heavily, and was drunk more often than not. To top it off, he was an angry drunk, and he would beat me if I did something that displeased him.

I was not allowed to speak unless spoken to. If I disobeyed, I was beaten. When he discovered that I could defend myself with a bow and arrow, he bought me one, and made me start buying his drugs for him. Now, I have made countless deals, and have the scars to prove it.

I pull the hood up on my purple hoodie, although it is not cold enough to warrant wearing one. A quick glance at the street signs prove that I am on the correct corner. Sure enough, a bright red Corvette pulls up not five minutes later. Not exactly a vehicle for a stealthy getaway.

Then again, if everything goes well, then they won't need to make a stealthy getaway. A teenager, a little older than myself, jumps out of the car, also wearing a hoodie with the hood pulled up. He walks over to me and looks me up and down carefully. "Hawkeye?" I nod.

"Machete?" An involuntary shudder runs through me at the name. Street names are given for a reason, and I can see that his is well earned. The handle of the large knife sticks out of his waistband in obvious sight. I have my bow strapped across my back, hidden by my sweatshirt. However, I know that I can easily access it in a pinch. "Do you have the product?"

"Depends. Do you have the money?" I nod, wordlessly showing him the wad of cash. He takes it, counts the money, and then pulls out a small bag with white powder in the bottom. I take the bag, mentally appraising it to make sure that I got the amount that I paid for. When I am sure that I did, I turn and begin to walk away. Just as I begin to walk, a searing pain rips through my upper arm.

I whirl around, only to have a fist meet my face. I fall to the ground, wincing as I hear a sickening crunch. Without even looking, I can tell that my bow is now in at least two pieces. Cold panic runs through my veins. Without my bow, I am nearly defenseless. As quickly as I can, I scramble to my feet.

Strong arms circle around me and prevent me from running. I am shoved forward so that I come face to face with Machete. He slugs me on the cheek, causing my head to whip to the side. "I'll teach you to try and pay me off with counterfeit money!" he growls, punching me in the mouth. I jerk my head back, tasting the iron in my mouth. He then brings his knee up to my stomach, causing me to retch in pain.

The torment goes on for what seems like forever, but finally, Machete's goon drops me to the sidewalk. I can tell that I am badly bruised, but luckily, nothing is broken. Machete spits on me, then begins to saunter away. "Consider this a warning. Next time you try to pay someone off with counterfeit money, remember this lesson. Consider yourself lucky." I lay on the ground, not daring to get up until I am sure that they are gone.

When they are out of sight, I slowly get up, pulling my sweatshirt off. Underneath, I am wearing a tee shirt, which does nothing to hide the wound on my arm. It is bleeding profusely, but I can see that it is just a flesh wound. I take my sweatshirt and tightly bind it up, before looking at my bow. It is broken into three different pieces, and the arrows are completely smashed, broken beyond repair.

I groan, considering the benefits of not going home. With a sigh, I realize that it is no use. Jack will just send the police after me, and I can't be found with the drugs on me. At last, I muster up the courage to begin the journey home.

When I finally get home, I retrieve the key from under the door mat and let myself in. Jack is sitting on the couch in the living room, waiting for me. "Did you get the drugs?" he asks, oblivious to my wounded state. I nod and wordlessly hand him the baggie. Without waiting for his reply, I turn, forgetting that my broken bow is still strapped to my back.

Jack lunges off if the couch and grabs me, before throwing me into a wall. I relax as much as I can, knowing that the impact will hurt less that way. He comes over and kicks me a few times in the ribs, but when he fails to get a reaction out of me, he goes and sits down again.

"Well, since you broke your bow, you don't get another one unless you buy it yourself. You're going to have to learn to defend yourself without one. Judging from how you look now, you obviously can't. You had better hope that you don't get into another fight." I whirl around, fire burning inside my belly.

"If you didn't give me fake bills, then I wouldn't have gotten into a fight, asshole!" I yell, not caring that it is probably the dumbest move that I've ever made. Surprisingly, Jack just chuckles.

"You'll pay for that later, you little bastard. Maybe one of the gangs will do me a favor and kill you. The biggest mistake of my life was adopting you, you little prick!" he screams, anger causing a vein in his temple to pulse. "You know what, I'm not the patient type. You're going to pay now!" Jack throws a nearby beer bottle at me, causing it to shatter against my bare arm. I can feel the glass embedding into the cut on my arm, so I turn and run up the stairs, dodging the other beer bottles that Jack hurls at me.

At last, I make it up the stairs and to my room, where I retrieve the first aid kit from under my bed. With the tweezers, I begin removing the shards of glass from the cut, thankful that it will not need stitches. When I am sure that all of the glass is removed, I apply some Neosporin and wrap the wound with gauze. As I lay back on the bed, I make a decision. Starting tomorrow, I am going to learn to defend myself, bow and arrow or not.

*end flashback*

True to my word, I started to box, weight lift, anything I could do to strengthen myself. I got a job and saved enough money to take a martial arts class at the local gym. I learned how to shoot several different types of guns. Now, as of today, I have proved that I can defend myself in a fight, even without my bow and arrow.

However, I have enough money saved now to get a new bow, one that is even better than the one Jack gave me. Tomorrow, after school, I will go buy it. At least it will give me something to look forward to. With that thought in mind, I lay back against my pillow and fall asleep.

**I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Reviews are much appreciated, and they encourage me to continue! :)**


	3. First Day of School

**_Sailorraven34_****: Updates are on Friday, but I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed it! Thanks for the review! :)**

**_Call me Toni_****: I'm sorry that it wasn't as exciting as the first chapter :/ I'm glad to hear that you'll continue sticking with me, though. Thanks for the review! :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own MARVEL or any of their affiliates. I am not making any money by writing this. It is for entertainment purposes only. **

Chapter Three

September 3rd

Natasha's P. o. V:

My alarm goes off at six o'clock, jarring me awake. With a groan, I roll and turn the annoying beeping off. Before I can fall back asleep, I force myself to get out of bed, quickly pulling on the clothes that I laid out the night before. When I have them on, I pull on a sweatshirt, brush my hair and teeth, and then go downstairs.

I only live about ten minutes away from the school, so I decide to walk. I'd rather walk than spend more time with Camille than I absolutely have to.

The air is crisp and cool, the grass sparkling with the morning dew. Already, the air is beginning to warm as the sun peeks over the horizon. It won't be long before I start sweating in my sweatshirt. Still, I refuse to take it off.

Anything that can muffle my scent or hide the mark on my neck is a welcome distraction. I'm willing to put up with a little discomfort if it helps me in the slightest.

I can hear kids already gathering in the school yard as I approach, all chattering with their friends, discussing the summer. I ignore the crowd, ducking my head and going straight into the school. I find my locker quickly, and then head to my first class, which happens to be Gym.

I breathe a sigh of relief when I notice that there is nobody inside the locker room yet. Quickly, I change into my gym clothes, which, thankfully, are loose-fitting, and then sit and wait for other people to start filing in.

The next person to walk in is a muscular kid with buzz-cut blonde hair and blue eyes. The hairs on my arm stand at attention as I take in the scars that cover his exposed arms. Everything about this boy screams danger, but I refuse to let myself shy away. He is obviously an Alpha, and I cannot afford to be seen as weak.

Finally, I muster up the courage to speak. "I didn't know that this was Co-Ed." The boy shrugs.

"Alphas and Betas are allowed to have classes together. The Omegas are separated."

"That's stupid," I grumble. "Omegas have every right to be in the same classes as us."

"It's for their own good. If they were to spontaneously go into heat in a room of Alphas or Betas, it wouldn't end well for them." I nod, then extend my hand.

"I'm Natasha." He takes my hand and shakes it, his grip firm, but not uncomfortable. I can feel the callouses on his hands, rough against my skin.

"Clint." More people come filing in, interrupting our conversation. Clint walks away, going to change into his gym clothes. I sit on the bench and wait for us to all go out into the gym.

About five minutes later, our coach comes out of the office and blows his whistle, telling us to head out to the gym and line up. I am the first one out, followed closely by Clint. We take our place on the line, standing side by side. The rest of the class saunters out, taking their sweet time.

I start up our conversation again. "So, Clint, what did you do this summer?" He shrugs and grunts noncommittally.

"Things." Before I can press further, our teacher comes into the class and blows his whistle.

"I'm Coach Coulson. Now, whether you like it or not, you're all going to participate. My job is to teach you the importance of physical fitness. I expect all of you to pay attention and try your best. Is this clear?" We all nod.

"Good. Now, I want you all to run five laps around the gym. When you finish that, you may get a drink and return to the gym. If any of you have health conditions that will affect your performance in this class, please let me know as soon as possible. Now, three, two, one, go!"

I start jogging, running side by side with Clint. We finish our first lap way ahead of everyone else. My training really paid off!

Before I know it, our five laps are over, and we're allowed to go get a drink. We do so, and then walk back into the gym. The entire class is still running, gasping for breath. I hear a low chuckle next to me. "That's what happens when you live such a blessed life. You don't know how to take care of yourself."

I can see his eyes roaming over me, looking for scars. "What's your story?" he asks curiously. I shrink back a bit, instantly closing up. He recognizes my change in demeanor and backs off. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't pry."

"It's okay. My past is just something that I'm not comfortable with."

"Tell me about it," Clint mumbles. The rest of our class starts returning from their water break, panting for breath. They give Clint and I a wide berth, although I'm pretty sure it's only because of Clint. I can see him inhaling shallowly a few times, and my blood runs cold.

He opens his mouth to speak, and I fight down the panic rising in my throat. However, Coach interrupts him, starting to give us a basic agenda of the class. Then, rules and procedures are covered. Finally, Coach releases us back to the locker rooms to change.

I grab my sweatshirt and throw it on, before changing back into my jeans. I can see people in Coach's office, no doubt telling him about their restrictions. I momentarily consider telling him about my pregnancy, but I'm sure he'll figure it out eventually, just as I'm sure that most of the school will find out soon enough.

Clint comes to stand next to me by the door as we wait for the bell to ring, releasing us to our next class. "Where are you heading next?" I show him my schedule. I am going to go to English next. Clint pulls out his schedule and shows it to me.

He has Math next hour, followed by History, Science, English, and Study Hall. My schedule is Gym, English, History, Math, Science, and Study Hall.

"Well, see you third hour." Clint nods just as the bell rings, and we both head in opposite directions to get prepared for our respective classes.

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	4. The Rest of the Day

**_Sailorraven34_****: Ugh, it's the bane of my existence as well. You'll just have to wait and see if she does ;) Thanks for the review!**

**_Call me Toni_****: I'll admit, I smiled :) I'm glad you're enjoying the story. Thanks for the review!**

**I know, I know, I was late on the update again. I'm sorry! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own MARVEL or any of their affiliates. I am not making any money by writing this. It is for entertainment purposes only. **

Chapter Four:

September 3rd

Natasha's P. o. V:

I head into English, where it is apparent that all we will be doing is going over rules and procedures for the class. I am seated next to a tall blonde with blue eyes. When there is a lull in the lecture, I turn to him, noticing that he had been glancing at me throughout the class. I extend my hand. "Hi. I'm Natasha." Normally, I am not as outgoing, but I would like to make as many friends as I can before my pregnancy becomes known. He takes my hand gently and kisses it.

"Steve. Pleased to make your acquaintance." I smile, pleased with the genuine show of courtesy. Then, the teacher starts talking again, cutting off our conversation. I sit back in my seat, glad to know that there are some friendly people in the school.

Clint's P. o. V:

I sit in Math, thinking about Natasha. She was quiet, but she seemed to know how to take care of herself. I wonder what was so traumatic about her past that she refused to talk about it. She also seems to be self conscious about her body, although she seems to be in excellent shape. There was also something...off...about her scent, but I couldn't place what. I'm looking forward to next hour when I can talk to her some more. Up until now, I have been tuning the teacher out, knowing that we were going to get the same lecture in every class. Finally, the teacher stops talking and allows us to socialize with our neighbors. I am sitting next to a blonde that looks like a typical jock: all muscle, not too much brain. He turns and introduces himself to me. "I am Thor Odinson, and this is my adopted brother, Loki Laufeyson."

"Clint." Thor grabs me and pumps my arm, oblivious to the scars marring the skin.

"We shall become best of friends, Clint!" Loki rolls his eyes.

"Pardon my brother. He may be loud, but he's harmless, I promise." I nod, and then turn back to my desk. I want to try and make as many friends as I can, to try and combat the loneliness that has followed me throughout my life.

I tune the teacher out to the rest of the hour, waiting until it is time for History. At last, the bell rings, releasing us from the class. I am the first one out the door, so I quickly head to my locker and grab the items needs for history. Numbly, my feet carry me in the direction of the class, my mind elsewhere. When I finally make it through the door, I realize that I am not alone in the classroom. Natasha has already picked her seat, far back in the corner of the room. I make my way over to her and sit down. She looks up at me in surprise. "Hi again." She nods in acknowledgement, but looks at me with guarded eyes. I take a few more small sniffs of the air, trying to place her scent. I can smell her natural scent, which is clean, like the cold, crisp air of winter. However, on top of that, there is a lingering scent that is definitely not hers. It smells vaguely male, but the scent is definitely old. There is also another scent coloring her natural scent, but I cannot place what it is. I notice that Natasha is staring at me slightly, and I duck my head in apology and embarrassment. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't be so nosy," I apologize. Natasha nods yet again, accepting my apology. I open my mouth to try and ask her what the scent is, but other students start filing in, so I sit back and wait.

The bell rings a few minutes later, and our teacher walks in and introduces herself. "Hello. I am Ms. Hill, and I will be your History teacher this year." I resist the urge to roll my eyes. What else would she be doing? Ms. Hill launches into the rules and procedures, so I sit back and relax, tuning her out as well.

Natasha's P. o. V:

I know that Clint is starting to get curious about my scent, but I am putting off telling him for as long as possible. What can I tell him? Should I tell him that I was brutally raped, just so that my infertile step-mother could have another child? Should I tell him that my neighbor marked me as his, so that I wouldn't have a chance with any other males? Should I tell him how fucked up my home life is and watch him run away, not bothering to look back? No, I don't want that. He seems to be a genuinely nice person, and one that I would rather have on my side than against me. After debating for a while, I decide to tell him a half truth. I'll tell him that my step-mother is overprotective, and since I don't have a father, she had the neighbor mark me as his so that nobody else would dare to bother me. It seems plausible enough, and it's better than the full truth. I make a pact with myself to tell him after school.

The rest of the class passes quickly, and soon, the bell rings. Clint heads off to Science, and I go to Math. Once I get there, I choose my seat in the back of the room and wait for class to start.

Clint's P. o. V:

I take my seat in Science next to two brown haired boys. One has darker hair than the other, while the other has sort of a mousier colored hair. The dark haired boy stands up and extends his hand to me. "I'm Anthony Edward Stark, but you can call me Tony. This is my Science Bro, Bruce Banner." Bruce nods and offers a small smile.

"Hi, Tony, Bruce. I'm Clint Barton. Pleased to meet you." The boys both nod, and the rest of the class starts filing in. Our teacher follows the last few students in and begins going over the rules and procedures, just as the teachers before have done. I settle back in my seat and wait for class to be over. When it is, I go to English and wait for the class to be over so that I can go to Study Hall with Natasha.

Natasha's P. o. V:

I sit in the back of the class yet again, and wait for the rest of the class to start filing in. At last, the bell rings, marking the beginning of the period. The teacher files in, and begins handing out a copy of the rules and procedures. I take it, and quickly look it over. Since it is almost identical to the classes before, I tune the teacher out and wait for it to be time for Study Hall.

At last, the bell rings, releasing us from the room. I go to my locker, drop off my things, and go to the classroom. Unsurprisingly, Clint is already inside, sitting in the back, waiting for me. I take my seat next to him and lean back in my chair, allowing my sore back to relax. A quiet moan of relief escapes my lips. Clint chuckles slightly. "Feel better?" I nod, allowing a small smile to form on my lips as well.

"I do, thanks for asking."

"Do you mind if I ask you a sort of personal question?" I brace myself, but shake my head.

"No, go ahead."

"Well-," Clint starts, but he is interrupted by a student walking into the class. It is Steve, the guy I met in English this morning. He is followed in by two brown haired boys, who are followed by a blonde and a black haired boy. Steve comes over and sits by me, and the other guys sit around us. They introduce themselves as Tony, Bruce, Thor, and Loki. I smile in greeting and introduce myself, pleased that there are a few friendly people in the school. More students start filing in, and they take their seats. The bell rings about a minute later, and the teacher walks in.

"This is Study Hall, and it is expected that you bring any homework you may have to this class. If you do not have any homework, you may bring a book to read, or something else to keep you busy. There is to be absolutely no talking, or homework will be assigned. Since it is the first day, and it is highly improbable that you has homework, you may get to know your fellow classmates for the rest of the hour. I will be at my desk if you need me." As soon as our teacher turns his back to us, the entire class begins talking, calling out to their friends excitedly. I turn to Clint.

"Where do you live?"

"I live over on the west side of town," he admits reluctantly. I involuntarily shudder, although I figured that that was where he came from. That part of town is known for the drug deals and shooting, as well as the break-ins and gang fights. "Why did you want to know?"

"Well, since we keep getting interrupted, I was wondering if our houses were close enough together that we could walk part of the way home together. That way, we could talk without having to worry about being interrupted."

Clint considers my proposition. "Sure, why not. Where do you live?"

"I live about ten minutes away, on the southwest side of town. It's not a good neighborhood, but it's not awful, either." Clint nods, and we lapse into a silence. I start up a conversation with Steve, and Thor and Loki soon join in. Clint is talking to Tony and Bruce. The hour passes quickly, and before I know it, the bell is ringing, dismissing us to go home. Clint and I walk out together, going to my locker first. I gather my belongings, and together, we walk to his locker. He quickly fills his backpack, and we both head towards the doors, ready to walk home. I steel myself for his questions, and we begin walking, having survived our first day of high school.

**I hope you enjoyed the chapter :) Please take the time to leave some feedback to let me know how I did! :D**


	5. The Long Walk Home

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**I'm so happy! I passed my driving test with only 1 point against me! :D The instructor said that it was the best drive he'd ever been on :3 I'm officially a licensed driver! :D Anyways, on with the story. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own MARVEL or any of their affiliates. I am not making money by writing this. It is for entertainment purposes only.**

Chapter Five

September 3rd

Natasha's P. o. V:

We walk in silence for a few minutes, waiting until we are completely off of school grounds before the questions begin flowing. Clint is the first one to muster up the courage to speak. "So, about your scent. I can smell your original scent, but overlaying that, there's a distinctly male scent, but it is old. Would you be willing to explain why?" Clint asks, unasked questions dancing in his eyes. I duck my head, but begin speaking. The words come hesitantly at first, but soon begin pouring out of my mouth, as if some internal dam has been broken.

"I'm not sure if you know, but I'm adopted. I live with my step-mother, but I do not have a step-father. This summer, I went through my first heat. My step-mother is highly protective of me, and she wanted to make sure that if I went into heat again during the school year, that I would have some scent on me telling others to back off. Since I didn't have a step-father, she asked my neighbor to mark me," I whisper, shuddering at the memories.

I stop talking as I remember being thrown against the bed, unable to do anything as he rutted into me. A single tear trickles down my cheek, and I wipe it away angrily. The last time I allowed myself to cry was after my explosion with Camille, two months ago. After that, I vowed that she would never get another reaction out of me again.

There's just something about Clint that I can trust. I feel that I can open up to him, but I am still cautious to do so. I've only known him for one day, and I barely know anything about him. At last, I pull myself out of my thoughts. "I'm sorry, I just got caught up in the memories," I apologize, my voice sounding hollow and far away to my ears. Clint nods understandingly.

"It happens to me too, don't worry." I eye the scars on his arm.

"If you don't mind my asking, how did you get so many scars?" Instantly, Clint's eyes harden, and I back off. "I'm sorry, is that too personal?" Clint slowly exhales.

"No, you answered my question. I'll answer yours. I'm an orphan too, and I got into a few gang fights. In the area that I live, it's almost impossible not to be in some sort of a gang." I get the sense that he is holding something back from me, but I don't press the point. I look up, only to realize that we are really close to my home.

"Well, I'm almost home. We had better not let my step-mother see us together, or she'll flip out," I grumble bitterly. Clint nods understandingly.

"It's okay, I understand. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" I nod, then begin walking towards my house.

"See you first hour." Clint continues walking as I turn up my driveway. As I unlock the front door, I look back one last time, to see Clint walking down the street. With a sigh, I open the door, walk in, and close and lock it behind me. Camille is not home yet, so I decide to retire to my room.

I pull out my phone, but I am unsurprised when I see that I have no text messages. I resolve to ask for Clint's number tomorrow, just so I have someone to talk to. Maybe I'll even ask for Steve, Bruce, Tony, Thor, and Loki's numbers as well.

I can hear Camille walking in the door, so I get up and lock my door, sending a clear message to leave me alone. The air conditioning turns on, wafting my scent around the room. With a start, I realize that some of Clint's scent has clung to my clothes. Quickly, I grab a pair of pajamas and head to the bathroom. I lock the door and turn the shower on.

While I am waiting for the water to warm up, I strip, examining my naked body in the mirror. There is a slight bump sticking out from between my hips. I sigh in resignation, and then step into the shower.

The warm water feels heavenly, and I let it run over my body, washing away Clint's scent. After a few minutes, I grab the shampoo bottle and begin massaging some of the concoction into my red hair. I have let it grow out of its bob, so now, it hangs around my shoulders in loose, red curls.

When I have worked up a decent lather, I rinse, and then reach for the conditioner. As I work it through my hair, I begin thinking. How long will I be able to conceal my pregnancy? When it does come out, what will happen? Will I lose all of my newfound friends? Will Clint leave me behind, not bothering to listen to my story? I can feel my breathing accelerating, and I work to calm it down, realizing that panicking won't get me anywhere.

When I have calmed down enough, I quickly wash my body, rinse my hair one last time, and then shut the water off. After drying off, I get dressed and head back to my room, somehow managing to avoid Camille. I lock the door, and then go collapse on the bed, thinking about everything that happened today.

Clint's P. o. V:

I watch out of the corner of my eye as Natasha unlocks her door and enters her house. When I see the door close safely behind her, I change my course, heading towards the weapon store. Once there, I quickly retrieve the bow and arrows that I've had my eye on, bring it to the front desk, and pay for it in cash. Once that is done, I strap it across my back and begin walking back to my house, thinking about what Natasha told me.

I got the feeling that she wasn't being entirely truthful about her scent, but I'm glad that she opened up to me at all. Maybe as time progresses, and she learns to trust me, she'll tell me on her own. I don't blame her for having trust issues. Being an orphan for a while can really change a person, especially if that person didn't really fit in.

As I am thinking, I keep a watchful eye out for anyone that would want to hurt me. Thankfully, the streets are empty, and I make it home safely.

Jack is passed out on the couch, drunk, so I slip upstairs and go to my room. After dropping off my backpack in my room, I grab a pair of pajamas and head to the bathroom to shower.

The warm water trickles down my skin, tracing the scars that mar my back and arms. I sigh as I realize that I'll never have a normal life until I escape from this hellhole I call home. As long as I live in Jack's house, I have no chance of claiming the normal life that I've always longed to have. With this thought in mind, I collapse on my bed, waiting for morning to come so that I can escape, even if it's just for a few hours.

**As always, reviews are always welcome and are much appreciated. :)**


	6. Strengthening Friendships

**_Aliceindeepdarkwonderland__:_ They're both 13 in my story. I know that they're not the same age in The Avengers, but I made it AU for that reason. Thanks for the review! :)**

**_MissPadawan_: Aww, thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for the review! :)**

**_Call Me Toni_: You're very welcome :) Ooh, I absolutely hate it when that happens. It's so annoying! You'll just have to wait and see what happens ;) It makes me happy to know that you're enjoying the story. Thanks for the review! :)**

**_sailorraven34_: Heh, the internet is an amazing thing. Thanks for the review! :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own MARVEL or any of their affiliates. I am not making any money by writing this.**

Chapter Six

September 7th

Natasha's P. o. V:

The rest of the week passes with very few occurrences. I managed to keep my pregnancy a secret, and I got Clint, Thor, Loki, Bruce, Tony, and Steve's numbers. We've agreed to have a bonfire over the weekend. I've also begun to get closer to Clint, but I've kept quiet, fearing that my feelings are unrequited. I'm too scared of being rejected and losing one of the few friends that I have managed to make.

Clint and I walk to Study Hall together, thankful that it is Friday. After Monday, the teachers wasted no time in piling the homework on us. As a result, I've come to love Study Hall.

Once we get into the classroom, I can tell that something will be different. Our teacher is already in the room, holding a stack of papers. When the bell rings, and everyone is silent, he begins walking around the room, distributing the forms. I glance mine over when I get it.

It is a permission slip for the Sex Ed class that will be taking place the Monday after our weekend. I sigh, realizing that I'll have to actually have some form of interaction with Camille this weekend. Our teacher continues talking, explaining that we needed to get the forms filled out, or we would have to sit out in the hallway and complete a packet while the rest of the class was in the course. I roll my eyes and fold up the piece of paper, shoving it into my pocket. I can see Clint doing the same thing next to me.

Finally, our teacher stops talking, and we are allowed to begin with our homework. Clint and I work on our Math homework together, working through the different problems. Before we know it, the bell rings, signaling that class is over. We gather our items and walk back to our lockers together.

When we both have all of our supplies needed for the weekend, we exit the building, glad to have survived the first week of middle school.

Clint is the first one to speak. "So, how was your first week of high school?" I shrug.

"I guess it was okay. School is school." Clint nods in silent agreement.

"Are you looking forward to the bonfire this weekend?"

"You had better believe it! Anything to get me out of my house and away from Camille is a welcome relief!" Clint shoots me a look, and I bite my tongue, realizing that I've said too much. Clint doesn't know how much I hate Camille.

"If you don't mind me asking, is everything okay?" I wave him off.

"Yeah, yeah, everything's fine! Well, I'm home, so I guess I'll see you on Saturday. Have a safe walk home. Bye!" I call over my shoulder, practically sprinting towards my house. Clint watches until I get inside, as he always does, before beginning to walk away. I slump down against the door, cursing myself for letting my tongue slip.

There is a creak from the kitchen, and Camille exits. I hand her my permission slip, which she looks over wordlessly. Suddenly, she breaks out laughing, her entire body shaking with it. "They want me to give permission for you to go to a Sex Ed class?! Don't they realize that you could probably teach them? This is too funny!"

Anger floods through my system. Before I even realize what is happening, I am in my feet, in her face. I raise my hand to smack her, but manage to stop myself before I do. If I lay a hand on her, she won't hesitate to call the police and get me arrested.

Camille grabs my wrist, her larger hand easily circling my bones. She squeezes, hard, probably hard enough to leave a bruise. I struggle against her, trying to pull my arm back, but I am pinned up against the wall. Camille raises her hand to slap me, but I stare her down, daring her to give me a reason to retaliate. Slowly, she lowers her hand, a smirk on her face.

"Whatever. I think you've learned your lesson." Her hand squeezes even tighter around my wrist one last time, before she releases me. I rub my sore wrist and glare at her as she signs my form and thrusts it back at me. I take it from her, and then storm off to my room to unpack my backpack and get my remaining homework done.

When I get up to my room, I lock my door and throw my backpack on my bed, pulling my phone out of my pocket. I have two new messages. One is from Clint, asking if I am okay. The other is from Tony, reminding me to bring a bathing suit to the bonfire. My insides clench with dread, before I decide to just wear a shirt over my one piece. I text him back, thanking him for the reminder, before I return to Clint's text.

After careful deliberation, I finally decide to respond, apologizing for my behavior. When the text is sent, I begin working on my English homework. Thankfully, it is just vocabulary, so I am able to complete it fairly quickly.

After packing up my backpack and making sure that all of my homework is complete, I check my phone again. There is one message from Clint. It reads, "It's okay. If you don't want to talk about it, I can wait until you're ready."

A smile forms on my face and a feeling of warmth shoots through me as I quickly send back a response, saying, "We can talk at the bonfire. I'm going to take a shower and head to bed. Goodnight!" Clint sends back a goodnight text, so I throw my phone onto my bed and gather my sleeping clothes.

When I am sure that I have everything, I head to the bathroom, close the door, and begin to undress myself. I let out a startled gasp when I see my wrist. There is a thin band of purple going completely around the thinnest part of my wrist. With a sigh, I finish undressing, before stepping into the shower. The warm water pounds against my forehead, allowing me to relax and forget my stress over Camille.

I am in the shower for over a half hour, but I finally manage to drag my weary body out of the shower. After I dry off, get dressed, and brush my hair and teeth, I enter my room and collapse on my bed, falling asleep almost immediately.

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Reviews are always welcome :)**


	7. The Bonfire

**_Call Me Toni_****: I only update on Fridays, since I'm slow at writing the chapters. Better to update regularly than to update quickly and then make everyone wait forever for the next chapter! I'm really glad that you're enjoying the story :) It won't be next chapter, but it'll be soon, I promise! Once again, I'm glad you like it, and I'm sorry that I don't update more quickly. Thanks for the review :)**

**_sailorraven34_****: Mm, Camille is a bitch. *laughs evilly* I love writing characters that are awful. You'll just have to see what Camille does! Thanks for the review :)**

**Ugh, this site is ticking me off. I used to be able to post from my phone, but they made it impossible for me to format. I'm not please .**

**Disclaimer: I do not own MARVEL or any of their affiliates. I am not making any money by writing this.**

Chapter Seven

September 8th

Natasha's P. o. V:

I allow myself to sleep late, not bothering to set an alarm. Camille is already gone, no doubt at her "job." She claims to work downtown as a secretary, but I know that it's a lie. I know that she works as an "escort." Since she can't get pregnant, she has many clients. I sigh as I realize how screwed up my home life really is.

After making my bed, I gather up the things that I will need for the bonfire later. I grab my swimsuit, a towel, an extra shirt, a sweatshirt, and a few things needed for s'mores. When I am sure that I have everything, I check my phone. I have a text from Tony, asking if I wanted to meet up with them earlier to catch a movie before the bonfire. I quickly text back an affirmative. Tony texts me the details, and I gather around my stuff, preparing to begin walking to the theater. Just as I head down the stairs, the doorbell rings. I look through the peephole, and let out a sigh of relief as I realize that it's just Clint. After unlocking the door and opening it, Clint enters my house.

"So, this is your house, huh?" I nod, hiding my injured wrist behind my back. Clint gazes around the house appreciatively, before his eyes settle on the table. My blood runs cold as I realize that Camille has already started buying baby items. "Is your step-mom pregnant?" I nod, numbly, thankful that he saved me from the struggle of trying to come up with an explanation on the spot.

"She just found out."

"Well, I wish her well. Are you ready to go?" I nod, showing him the bag on my shoulder. Together, we walk back out towards the door. I let Clint exit before me, so that I can close and lock the door. When I am sure that the house is secure, Clint and I begin walking to the movie theater.

We walk in silence for a while, before Clint finally starts up the conversation again. "Are you looking forward to the movie?" I shrug.

"I'm just looking forward to getting out of the house," I admit. The fact that I don't like being home is already out in the open, so I figure that it can't do any more harm to admit it again. Clint glances over at me. "What's the matter?"

"What's so bad about your home life that makes you so reluctant to be at home?" I shrink back a little, reluctant to answer. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't pry. I'm worried about you. I know that it can be tough, being an orphan, growing up in a strange home. I just want to make sure you're okay." I manage to give him a smile.

"Thank you. Not many people care enough to ask." Clint nudges me gently with his shoulder.

"Hey, what are friends for?" I laugh, and then look up. We are in town already. I can see the movie theater a little ways up the street. Thor, Tony, Steve, Bruce, and Loki are standing in a group outside the entrance. Clint and I quicken our pace, eager to meet our friends.

"Come on, lovebirds!" Tony yells. I blush, wondering if my crush on Clint is that obvious. I glance over at Clint, discovering that he too, is blushing. A happy grin forms on my face as we meet our group and buy our tickets and snacks. We are going to see the new Paranormal Activity movie. I have butterflies in my stomach, nervous that I'll act like a total baby. Normally, scary movies don't upset me, but with changing hormones, I'm afraid of busting out in tears at any given moment. Clint squeezes me gently, and if sensing my thoughts.

"We can see a different movie, if you want," Clint offers. I smile, pleased with his offer.

"I'll be okay. Besides, what's the point of a horror movie if you aren't a little scared?" Clint nods in agreement as the rest of our group joins us, having retrieved their snacks and tickets. We give our tickets to the attendant and are directed to the correct theater. We all file down a row at the very top. I discover that Clint is next to me, and a small smile forms on my face. It is chilly in the theater, so I pull out my sweatshirt and put it on. I can see the rest of our group doing the same.

Finally, after about ten minutes, the preview ends, and the movie begins. I curl up in my seat as the events on the screen unfold. A door slams shut, and before I can stop myself, I reach over and grip his shoulder. Clint chuckles quietly and retrieves my hand, holding it in his own. A content grin forms on my face, and it stays there for the rest of the movie.

When the movie ends, we all step out into the bright sunlight, eyes squinted against the light. Since Tony doesn't live far from the theater, we all decide to walk to his house.

We reach it in about twenty minutes. After a short discussion, we all decide to change into our swim gear and go swimming. When we get out to the large, Olympic sized pool, Tony suggests that we play chicken. I do a quick head count, and find that we have an odd number of people. "I'll sit out first. We can play so that the first person to get knocked off sits out the next round," I offer. Everyone nods, and begins to pair up. Bruce and Tony pair up, Thor and Loki pair up, and Clint and Steve pair up as well. I sit on the side of the pool and watch the game begin to set up. Surprisingly, Steve is the first one knocked off, so he comes over to the side, along with Clint. While the other two teams battle it out, we decide who will make up the next team. Steve offers to sit out so that Clint and I can partner up for the next round.

Thor and Loki end up winning, so the partners remaining switch who is on top. Tony, Thor, and I both end up on top of our partner's shoulders. The game begins, and Clint steers me towards the middle of the pool. Thor and I end up nearest to each other, so I raise my hands, looking for an opening. Thor grabs me around my wrists, causing me to hiss in pain. I cover my pained look as best I can, fighting to free my hands. By some freak accident, I manage to push Thor down, leaving just Tony and Bruce to go up against. I struggle against them, trying to knock Tony off of Bruce's shoulders.

After about five minutes of grappling, I manage to pull Tony off, effectively winning the game. Everyone jumps back in the pool as we celebrate, before Clint grabs my arm and raises my hand in the air. Loki notices my wrist immediately.

"Are you okay? What happened? Did my brother squeeze too hard?" I glance at my wrist, pretending that it is the first time that I've seen the mark. I shrug it off casually.

"Probably, but it's not a huge deal. I bruise easily. Besides, it doesn't even hurt." That's a blatant lie, but I don't want everyone fussing around me. Thor looks worried, but I wave him off. "Seriously, I'm fine. Who's up for another round?"

We play in the pool for another two hours or so. By now, it is starting to get dark, so we all decide to get out of the pool and begin setting up our bonfire.

After about an hour, we have a nice sized fire burning. I bring out the s'more supplies, and we all begin roasting marshmallows. After we've made enough s'mores to feed a small army, we begin telling ghost stories, attempting to sneak up behind our friends and scare them. I manage to scare Clint twice, thanks to my stealthy walk. For the first time since I discovered that I was pregnant, I am truly happy.

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Reviews are always welcome :)**


	8. Breakfast at Tony's

**_sailorraven34_****: She'll be telling him soon! It made me happy to write that scene. I do the same exact thing. I may be many things, but patient is not one of them. Thanks for the review! :D**

**_aliceindeepdarkwonderland_****: I'm glad you liked the fluff :) I don't write it often, so it's nice to know that it's appreciated when it is written. Thanks for the review! :D**

**Disclaimer: I do not own MARVEL or any of their affiliates. I am not making money by writing this. It is for entertainment purposes only. **

Chapter Eight

September 8th and 9th

Natasha's P. o. V:

As the night goes on, and the fire dies down, we all prepare to go to bed. I place my sleeping bag next to Clint's, and everyone settles in for the night. Within a few minutes, everyone is asleep besides Clint and I. "So, what did you want to talk about?" Clint wonders. "I know that you and your step-mom don't have the best relationship together, but it seems to run deeper than that. What's the matter?" I sigh.

"As you know, I was adopted. I've never really liked my step-mother. I don't bow down to her every wish, and she resents me for it. We've always butted heads, but this summer, it got worse. We got into a huge argument, and I told her that I hated her. Our relationship has been really tense since then," I admit, leaving out why we were arguing. I'm not ready for Clint to know yet. Clint reaches over and holds my hand.

"My home life hasn't been much better. My step-father adopted me. At first, it was okay, but soon, he started showing his true colors. He's drunk a lot, and he has a bad drug habit. I'm pretty good with a bow, and he started making me buy his drugs for him. I'm not exactly in a gang, but I have gotten my scars from gang members." I rub his hand with my thumb, my stomach roiling with guilt. He's bared his soul to me, when I still haven't been completely honest.

"I'm so sorry. I wish I could help you." Clint shakes his head.

"There's nothing we can do, so we might as well accept it and move on with our lives, right?" I nod and close my eyes, fighting back the tears that threaten to fall. If only that was possible. When I finally manage to open my eyes again, Clint's eyes are closed, and he is lightly snoring. I decide to close my eyes and sleep as well. "Goodnight, Clint," I whisper. "I love you." His hand tightens on mine, and I crack my eyes open. A smile spreads across his face. Before I can feel too embarrassed, however, he opens his mouth.

"I love you too, Tasha." A smile spreads over my face, and I fall asleep with Clint's hand still held in mine.

We wake up before anyone else the next morning. I blush and avert my eyes when we make eye contact. "Hey, I said that I loved you too. There's nothing to be embarrassed about." I slowly lift my eyes to look at him. He's smiling gently. I allow myself a small laugh.

"I guess you're right. Now, the question is to tell or not to tell." Before Clint can answer, someone else answers.

"You already told," Tony laughs. He is sitting upright, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. I shoot a guilty look a Clint.

"I guess I should have checked to see if anyone was up," I admit. Clint just smirks.

"Don't be too hard on yourself. I could have checked, too." Tony starts going around our circle of friends, waking everyone up.

"Guys, you missed it! Natasha and Clint finally admitted that they loved each other! Tony yells excitedly. Everyone begins to sit up slowly, rubbing the sleep out of their eyes. Loki is the first one to turn to us.

"Congrats, you guys. I was hoping that this would happen soon," he smiles. Thor tries to disentangle himself from his sleeping bag, hopping up to congratulate us. Unfortunately for him, he is not yet completely free of the sleeping bag, and he ends up crashing to the ground. I stifle a giggle behind my hand. Nobody else bothers to do so, instead choosing to laugh openly. Thor finally manages to free himself from the sleeping bag, before rushing over to us. He pulls Clint and I into a tight hug, cutting off both of our air supplies.

"Can't - breathe!" I manage to choke out. Thor releases us, and we both gulp in a breath of air. One by one, the rest of our friends come up and congratulate us. Bruce is the last to come up. He squeezes me tightly against him, pulling me close enough that he can whisper in my ear.

"Does Clint know?" he asks, before pulling away. All of the blood drains from my face. "Congrats, you two," Bruce says at his normal volume. Clint turns to me.

"Are you okay? You're really pale."

"I'm fine, just a bit tired." I yawn for effect. Clint shrugs, and we all turn towards the house, stomachs grumbling. I hang back a bit, letting the others go on ahead of me. How could Bruce possibly know? The small, rational voice in the back of my mind reasons that perhaps he isn't talking about my pregnancy. I seize ahold of the hope and quicken my pace so that I catch up with the rest of the group. They are talking avidly amongst themselves. I take the place to Clint's side, and we all enter Tony's giant house. Tony leads us to the kitchen, and we all begin digging into the food. I grab a glass of juice and a bowl of cereal, before sitting down at the table. I am the first one to sit, having picked a very simple lunch. Bruce comes next, sitting next to me. "What were you talking about earlier?" I ask him. Bruce quickly checks to make sure that everyone is sufficiently occupied, before answering me.

"Does Clint know that your step-mom abuses you?" My blood runs cold. Although he does not know the worst part, this is still not a conversation that I wanted to be having. I decide to play it off.

"What do you mean?" Bruce looks at me, unamused.

"You know exactly what I mean. I know that bruise could not have possibly been caused by Thor. It was far too dark, and the bruises were too thin to have been caused by Thor's fingers. Is this the first time that your step-mom has physically hurt you? Are there any more injuries that we should know about?" I mentally curse myself. I knew Bruce wanted to be a doctor, but I didn't count on him being so observant.

"This is the first time. There are no other injuries," I answer quickly, as the others begin to start sitting down. Clint takes the seat on the other side of me, and we all begin eating in silence, savoring the taste of the food. I see Bruce glancing over at me a couple of times during the meal, but thankfully, he doesn't say any more. After everyone finishes, we play board games for a few hours. As it gets closer to dinnertime, we all begin saying goodbye and leaving. Clint offers to walk me home, and I gratefully accept. We walk in silence, holding each other's hands, in no hurry to get to our houses. Too soon, we turn onto my street, and my house appears.

"Well, I guess this is goodbye," Clint mutters. I nod, regretting that the moment came so soon. Clint puts his hand under my chin, tilts my head up, and gives me a kiss. "I'll see you Monday. I love you."

"And I love you, too," I murmur against his lips. After a few seconds, we break apart, and I begin the walk up my driveway. Clint waits until he is sure that I made it inside safely before beginning the final leg of his journey home. I watch him go, thankful that Camille isn't home yet. She'd flip if she knew that I was hanging around with a boy alone. Not that it would matter, I think bitterly. The damage is already done.

Once inside, I unpack my bag and take a shower, washing the chlorine out of my hair, as well as the scents of my friends from my body. I watch as the water trickles over my swollen belly, diverting down the channels formed by my scars.

For a while, when I was going through an especially rough patch, I took to cutting. I was forced to open wounds on my stomach, so that Camille would not know what I was up to. When things started to get better, I managed to quit the habit. Now, as my pregnancy progresses, I'm tempted to take it up again. I shake my head, shaking away the gloomy thought.

I finish my shower and dry off, heading to my room to get dressed. I hear the door open downstairs as Camille returns home from work. A quick glance at the clock informs me that it is already seven o'clock. With a sigh, I head downstairs and quickly grab some food, being careful to avoid Camille. I have no desire to interact with her today.

After finishing off the food, I lay down on my bed, thinking about the events of the past day. My face breaks into a smile as I remember Clint and I finally confessing our love for each other. With this thought in mind, I close my eyes, realizing that I was more exhausted than I thought.

**Reviews are, as always, welcome.** :)


	9. The Secret's Out

**_the-vintageclassic_****: I know it took a while, but I wanted to build it up a bit before it was official. Clint will be finding out *very* soon, I promise. Thanks for the review!**

**_sailorraven34_****: Writing those parts always brings a smile to my face :3 Thanks for the review! **

**_Guest_****: It'll be coming back into play soon. Thanks for the review!**

**_aliceindeepdarkwonderland_****: I'm glad you liked it! Like I've been saying, she and Clint will be having a discussion in the near future. Thanks for the review!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own MARVEL or any of their affiliates. I am not making any money by writing this. It is for entertainment purposes only. **

Chapter Nine

September 10th

Natasha's P. o. V:

My alarm rudely wakes me up in the morning. I sit up and rub the sleep out of my eyes, before groaning. Today is the Sex Ed class. I roll out of bed, get dressed, and grab my backpack, making sure that the signed permission slip is inside. When I am certain that it is, I head downstairs and walk out the door. Luckily, Camille is already gone.

Clint meets me on the sidewalk in front of my house, and we walk to school together. Although it is not that chilly, I am wearing a turtleneck to hide the mark on my neck. Luckily, nobody noticed it when we were swimming at Tony's house.

We make it to the school fairly quickly, arriving before most of the other kids. Our other friends are there, so we gather around them. Immediately, the boys start joking around about the Sex Ed class. I force myself to laugh with them, even though my stomach is turning with dread. Too soon, the bell rings, forcing us to go inside and start preparing for classes. At least we have a few classes before we have to go to the presentation. I quickly change in the locker room, keeping my tank top on the entire time. Although it does nothing to hide my swollen belly, it does help to conceal my self harm scars. Thankfully, everyone is too busy getting themselves ready to notice me.

Clint finishes close to the same time as I do, so we both head out into the gym together. Coulson has us run our warm-up laps while we wait for the rest of the class to come out. When we finish, Clint and I go get a drink, taking our time. From experience, we know that the rest of the class will take at least another five minutes to be ready to continue class. I am pleased to discover that so far, my pregnancy has not been affecting my athletic ability.

Once the entire class has returned from their water breaks, we begin learning the rules for badminton. Clint and I immediately team up, before being matched against another pair of students. The hour flies by, with Clint and I easily beating our opponents. At the end of the hour, Clint and I walk out, heading to our respective lockers. I go to my second hour, knowing that I will soon be in a presentation that doesn't apply to me.

Sure enough, as soon as the bell rings, signaling the beginning of second hour, our teacher takes attendance, and then we all begin filing down to the auditorium. The girls are separated from the boys, much to my despair. I haven't bothered to get to know any of the girls, having become close friends with Clint, Steve, Bruce, Tony, Thor, and Loki. As a result, I am stuck in line between two girls that I don't know. My permission slip is clutched tightly in my hand, getting more and more wrinkled as I get closer to the doors. At last, it is my turn to hand the woman my permission slip.

She takes it from my hand, looks it over, and looks at me. "Are you Natasha Romanoff?" I nod. She shakes my hand, then stiffens. I realize that she had just taken a deep breath, and my blood runs cold. However, she releases my hand and lets me continue into the auditorium without comment. A wave of relief sweeps through me, but at the same time, unease grows within me. Why would she just let me go? With my mind on other matters, I follow my classmate down a row of seats. Luckily, I end up near the end, where it is easy enough to leave if I need to. With my stomach feeling as queasy as it does now, I have no doubt that I will more than likely be making a dash to the bathroom in the middle of the presentation.

Once everyone is seated, the lady begins her presentation, beginning by showing us a PowerPoint. I fidget through it, trying to pay attention, but failing miserably. Finally, the presenter gets to the slide on teenage pregnancy. It is clear that from the tone of her voice that she disproves of it. "Some teens are unable to wait until they are adults to have a sexual relationship with another person. Often, these foolish kids do not use protection, and they end up pregnant." At this point, it seems like she is staring directly at me. "Although it may seem like torture not to have intercourse during your heat, it is far preferable to having to carry the child of someone you may not even know. Isn't that right, Natasha Romanoff?" Immediately, everyone's head swivels around to look at me. I am truly nauseous now, so I get up and push my way to the end of the row. At the moment, I don't care that it directs all of the attention at me. All I care about is making it to the bathroom.

As soon as I get inside a stall and lock it, I let the contents of my stomach empty into the toilet bowl. The bile stings my throat, just as the tears sting my eyes. Why did she have to draw attention to me? It's not as if I chose for this to happen. I sit in the stall, just letting the tears run down my face.

I am not sure how much time passes before I hear the door open again. A group of girls walk in, having a conversation about the presentation. "I can't believe that she would just go have sex with anyone like that."

"It serves her right that she's pregnant."

"Slut." More tears drip down my face, but I refuse to make a sound. Eventually, they exit the bathroom, leaving me to cry in peace.

When I hear the bell ring, signaling the start of the next hour, I exit the bathroom stall. After rinsing out my mouth, I carefully crack open the door. The hallways are empty, much to my relief. I sneak to my locker, deciding that I'm just going to cut class for the rest of the day. However, when I reach my locker, someone is already there.

Clint.

I turn around and start walking away quickly, deciding that getting my things is not as important as avoiding Clint. To my despair, I hear footsteps behind me. I quicken my pace, heading towards the front doors. His footsteps quicken as well. Throwing subtlety to the wind, I sprint to the front of the school, racing out the doors. Once I am outside, I slow to a walk, a deep weariness settling into my bones. I will have to face Clint eventually. I continue walking to a nearby tree, sinking to the ground with the tree at my back. I watch as Clint approaches. Even from a distance, I can see that he looks upset. I close my eyes and lower my head, fighting back the tears that threaten to fall. Too soon, I hear Clint's footsteps approaching, stopping in front of me. I refuse to open my eyes, keeping me head down. After a couple of seconds, Clint speaks, his voice sounding torn with pain.

"Is it true?" Wordlessly, I nod my head, knowing that there is no use in denying it now. I hear a strangled noise coming from Clint's throat. Slowly, I raise my head, forcing myself to make eye contact with Clint. His eyes are swimming with raw emotion. Pain. Anger. Sadness. I drop my eyes again quickly. "Why?"

A single word, yet I have no answer. My world is falling apart, and there's not a single thing that I can do about it.

**Reviews are always welcome :)**


	10. Explanations

**_sailorraven34_****: It really would be awful. Finally, though, Clint knows! Thanks for the review :)**

**_the-vintageclassic_****: Yeah, he did. Thanks for the review :)**

**_Rosay Chere Khann_****: It's unfortunate that there are such rude people out there who would do such a thing. This chapter will have Clint and the gangs' reactions in it. Thanks for the review :)**

**_aliceindeepdarkwonderland_****: Indeed, she was. It'll all work out in time. Thanks for the review :) **

**_Guest_****: The lady could tell by her scent. Generally, in Omegaverse, a person's scent changes once they become pregnant. You'll have to read on and see how everyone reacts. Thanks for the review :)**

**There were so many reviews on that last chapter. Thank you all so much! I really appreciate every review. I'm smiling like an idiot right now. Thank you!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own MARVEL or any of their affiliates. I am not making any money by writing this. It is for entertainment purposes only. **

Chapter Ten

September 10th

Natasha's P. o. V:

Clint stands in front of me, obviously still waiting for an answer. Tears stream down my face, and I wipe them away quickly. Suddenly, my mouth opens, and I begin talking, spilling everything that happened to me over the summer. Clint listens in silence. When I am finished, I force my turtleneck collar down, showing him the scar on my neck. A growl rises in Clint's throat before he hurriedly forces it down. "I'll kill the bastard that did this to you," Clint snarls, eyes flashing in anger. His hands are shaking with his barely suppressed rage. At last, I force myself to raise my head and look at Clint.

His face is stony, but I can tell that the anger is not directed at me. I let out a sigh of relief and throw myself at him, circling my arms around him tightly. After he recovers from the shock of my action, he wraps his arms around me as well. We stand there for a few seconds, before I finally manage to find my voice.

"You mean - you're not mad at me?" I ask, hardly daring to hope. Clint shakes his head.

"I could never be mad about something like this. I'm sorry for immediately jumping to conclusions," he whispers into his hair. I'm surprised to feel tears falling on the top of my head. I keep my arms wrapped around Clint, fresh tears falling down my face. We stand together for a while, just holding each other, not talking. At last, we break apart. "Do you want to go back to class?"

"What hour is it?"

"It's probably around the end of sixth hour. We can head back in at Study Hall, when all of us will be together."

"They don't know what happened though, and I don't feel like explaining to the entire class what happened to me." Clint considers my proposition.

"That's true. We can wait out here and talk until they come out. I can text all of them to meet us here after school." I nod, allowing a small smile to form on my face.

"Thank you, Clint. Not many people would have listened to me." Clint shrugs, waving away my words.

"No problem. I love you, Tasha."

"And I love you," I reply, tilting my face up to kiss him. Clint kisses me back for a few seconds, before finally breaking away. He pulls out his phone, sends out a mass text, and then sits down. I sit down next to him. "What would you like to talk about?"

"It's up to you. I'll be happy to listen to anything you have to say." Before I can stop myself, the story of my childhood pours out of my mouth. I have never told anyone any of this before, but it's time Clint knew. I tell him about my life as an orphan, about Camille, about the rape, about the self harm scars. Clint listens quietly, his eyes on my face the entire time. At the end of my story, I lift up my tank top, revealing my swollen and scarred belly. Clint's fingers gently trace the lines of the scars, following their distorted pattern. I laugh a little as his callused digits pass over a sensitive patch of skin. Clint smiles sadly.

"Of all people, why did this have to happen to you?" Tears prick my eyes, but I blink them away hurriedly.

"At least this'll all be over in about 7 months. After I give birth, the baby will be the sole responsibility of Camille. I'll be able to get back to my old life."

"There's that," Clint agrees, but he looks worried. He tries to hide it, but I catch the look.

"What's the matter?"

"It's just... You're only 13. Aren't you a bit worried?"

"No. Camille may not like me, but she would do anything to prevent anything from happening to this baby. I'll be fine." In reality, the same thoughts had crossed my mind. I know that my pelvis is not fully developed, which could make a vaginal delivery almost impossible. However, Camille will make sure that everything goes smoothly. She's had me on a vitamin regime and an eating plan since she found out I was pregnant. I highly doubt that she'll let all of that work go to waste.

Before Clint can respond, the bell rings, signaling the end of school. We wait for all of our friends to assemble, before beginning to walk to Tony's house. His parents aren't home, so we've all agreed to convene there. I don't bother to inform Camille of my whereabouts. She can call the cops if she wants to.

We walk to Tony's house in silence, the curiosity palpable in the air. I avoid everyones' eyes, trying to fight back the tears that spring to my eyes. They're my friends, and they have the right to know.

Too soon, we reach Tony's house. We walk inside, heading towards Tony's room. We all settle in on the various seats around the room. Everyone looks at me expectantly.

"Well, I guess I should start out by asking what you all heard." Everyone shifts around uncomfortably. Tony is the first to speak.

"I passed a group of girls, and they were talking about how someone is a slut. I didn't hear who they were talking about."

"I heard someone ran out of the presentation," Steve contributes. I sigh.

"Guys, there's something you should know. This summer, I went through my first heat. My stepmother is infertile, and she wanted another baby. She had our neighbor mate with me, and now I have to carry his child," I sniff, tears rolling down my cheeks. Everyone sits in a shocked silence. Clint comes over and wraps his arm around me. I bury my face into his shoulder, hot tears falling from my eyes.

"I'm so sorry," Bruce whispers.

"How could someone do that?!" Steve asks, sounding totally outraged.

Tony, for once, is shocked into silence. Thor and Loki are shaking their heads sadly. Sniffling, I try to wipe the tears from my cheeks, but more tears soon replace them. Our group of friends sits in silence, letting me vent my emotions.

After about 10 minutes, I finally manage to stop crying. I set my jaw with a firm resolve. This will not run my life. I will return to school tomorrow, and my classmates' words will not affect me.

Yeah, right.

**You guys are all amazing! As always, reviews are highly appreciated! :3**


	11. The Aftermath

**_Sailorraven34_****: He really is. She'll need it. Thanks for the review! :)**

**_aliceindeepdarkwonderland_****: It would certainly be nice if you could! I'm glad that you're feeling protective of Natasha. Thanks for the review! :)**

**_Call Me Toni_****: I'm glad you liked it. Thanks for the review! :)**

**_Rosay Chere Khan_****: Thank you so much for your kind review :3 You have no idea how amazing that made me feel. You're completely and utterly amazing. As for chapter length, I have up until chapter fifteen written. After that, though, I'll try to make them longer. Thanks for the review! **

**_MissPadawan_****: Aww, thank you :3 I'm glad you're enjoying it, and I hope to keep entertaining you :) Thanks for the review! :)**

**Wow, this has been a really rough week. I had four tests, and my gerbil died in my hand :'( Hopefully next week is better... **

**Disclaimer: I do not own MARVEL or any of their affiliates. I am not making any money by writing this. It is for entertainment purposes only. **

Chapter Eleven

September 10th and 11th

Natasha's P. o. V:

When I finally manage to compose myself enough to disentangle myself from Clint's arms, about a half hour has passed. I glance at my watch and let out a gasp of horror. "Camille is going to kill me!" Clint shoots me a steely look.

"I'd like to see her try," he growls, eyes flashing with anger. Unconsciously, I rub my wrists, remembering the bruises that Camille put there. Luckily, Clint does not notice, but Bruce shoots me a look. I imperceptibly shake my head, warning him not to say anything. Wisely, he keeps his mouth shut. "I'll walk you home," Clint tells me. There is no use in arguing, so I accept the statement and head towards the door, Clint by my side. The rest of our group wishes me well as we walk out the door. We walk in silence for a while.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure," Clint responds.

"When you found out, did you really think that I would intentionally get pregnant?" My voice breaks, and tears threaten to fall down my cheeks. Damn these pregnancy hormones! Clint hesitates, and I stop walking. "Please tell me you didn't," I beg, a film of tears obscuring my vision.

"No, I didn't really. I knew that there had to be some explanation, but I was so shocked by the news that I didn't know what to believe." I look him in the eyes, knowing that he is telling me the truth.

"Thank you," I sniffle, continuing to walk. Too soon, we reach my house. "Perhaps you should leave me here," I suggest, fearing Camille's reaction. Clint shakes his head vehemently.

"Not a chance. She's not going to hurt you any more than she already has." With that, we continue walking, finally reaching the front door. I try the handle, surprised to find it open. I would have assumed that Camille would have locked me out. Then again, she wouldn't want to endanger the precious baby, I think bitterly. Turning, I give Clint a kiss goodbye. "Will I see you tomorrow?"

"Yes. I won't let my classmates think that they've bullied me out of coming. I won't be seen as a coward." Clint nods, giving me another kiss.

"Good luck. Call or text me if you need anything."

"I will." Clint turns and walks away, and I step into the house. It is dark downstairs, which means that Camille is either out, or upstairs. I cross my finger and hope that she's "working."

As I ascend the stairs, I am pleased to discover that Camille is not upstairs. I take a quick shower, washing away the dried tears on my cheeks. Tomorrow will be difficult, but I must face it. Clint will back me up. I don't care what the other students think. As long as I still have my friends, I'll be fine.

With these positive thoughts in mind, I turn off the shower and get out. Before I put my pajamas on, I examine my body in the mirror. A slight bump sticks out between my hips, but it is still easily concealed by a sweatshirt. I sigh. In about a month's time, even my most baggy sweatshirt will not be able to conceal my pregnancy.

I head to my room, glad to discover that Camille is still not home. I lock my bedroom door and collapse on my bed, suddenly feeling exhausted. Before I know what hits me, I am asleep.

When I wake up in the morning, I am surprised to find that I am on time. I forgot to set my alarm last night, and I thank all of my lucky stars that I'm not running late. I want to show up to school as if nothing has changed.

After wolfing down a quick breakfast and taking the pills that Camille set out for me, I begin walking to school. Clint catches up to me on the way. "Are you ready for this?" I nod my head, not trusting my voice. Clint grabs my hand, giving me a boost of confidence. I walk into the school yard, past groups of gossiping girls. They shoot me hateful looks, but I ignore them.

"What a slut." Clint's grip tightens on my hand.

"Ignore them," he whispers out of the side of his mouth. I nod as more verbal insults are thrown my way. As much as I would like to say that they didn't affect me, I can't. Each insult stings as much as the next, but I do not let them know. Clint and I stop at our lockers, and then head to gym. I gather my courage and then go face Coulson.

"As I'm sure you've heard from around the school, I am pregnant. I am about 2 months along, and I will continue participating in all activities for as long as I can." Coulson looks stunned, but I turn around and march back towards Clint. Clint is chuckling slightly.

"He's completely shocked. He can't believe that someone who is pregnant is managing to whip the other students' asses," Clint smirks. I allow a small smile to spread over my face. More people start to file into the locker room. Clint and I head out into the gym, wanting to avoid the snide comments from our classmates.

"You know, they probably think that you're the one that knocked me up," I snort, a humorless chuckle rising in my throat.

"I wish I was," Clint mutters, barely loud enough for me to hear. I shoot him a look, and he quickly ducks his head, embarrassed to have been caught. "What I meant to say was that I wish it was me, and not your neighbor. Ugh, that doesn't sound any better," Clint groans. I pull him in close for a hug and a peck on the cheek.

"I know what you meant." Clint visibly relaxes as other students begin filing out into the gym. Coulson follows closely behind them.

"Five laps, everyone." Clint and I begin running, leading the pack of students as usual. We finish long before the others, so we stand and wait for them to finish. Several people throw snide comments our way, but I ignore them.

After everyone finishes, we team up and begin playing badminton again. The team of girls that Clint and I are paired with do not make any comments, but they continuously glare at us. We beat them easily, and they storm away. "At least I'm not a slut," one of the girls calls over her shoulder. Clint grips my arm tightly, but I shake him off.

"At least I didn't just get beaten by someone who's pregnant," I shoot back. Clint gives me an appreciative smile, and we pair up with another team.

The rest of the hour passes incredibly quickly, with Clint and I beating every team that we are matched with. When the end of the hour comes, we head to our lockers and go to our classes.

All of my teachers know about my situation, but they do not make a comment about it. Several of them send disappointed glances my way, but I ignore them. They can believe what they want.

Finally, the final bell rings, dismissing us from class. I still hear rude comments being directed at me in the hall, but I keep my head held high, pretending that the comments don't hurt me. Clint can see through my façade, and he rubs his thumb gently over my hand as we walk out of the building. We walk in silence towards my house, thinking about the events of the day. "Well, it could have been worse." I nod.

"True, but not everyone may know yet." Clint sighs.

"Don't let them get you down. I love you, and we both know the truth. Don't let their comments affect you. If they get a rise out of you, it'll only get worse." I nod, seeing the truth in his words. I can see my house approaching down the street. When we reach it, I give Clint a hug and a kiss, and then head up the driveway. Clint watches to make sure that I get in safely, before continuing to walk to his house.

Camille is in the living room watching TV, so I slip upstairs before she can call me in. I lock myself in my room and collapse on my bed. Today may not have been terrible, but my classmates' words still sting. I try not to let the words get to me, but they do anyways.

What if I really am a no-good slut? What if I secretly wanted that? What if everything they were saying was true?

A single tear slips down my cheek, and I wipe it away angrily.

It's always darkest before dawn, right?

I can't say that I'm so sure.

**Reviews never fail to make my day a million times brighter! :3**


	12. Sudden Surprise

**_acompletenerd_****: I'm glad you liked it. I'm not sure if a school would be allowed to kick someone out if they were pregnant, especially with all of the "no child left behind" policies. This week is going better so far, so fingers crossed. Thanks for the review! :) **

**_sailorraven34_****: Camille wouldn't care. All she cares about is the kid that Natasha is carrying. Thanks for the review! :)**

**_MissPadawan_****: Aww, thank you :3 He really is. Thanks for the review! :)**

**_Call Me Toni_****: Things seem dark, but they'll start looking up soon. (No guarantees how long it'll last, though.) Thank you so much! You're so sweet :3 Unfortunately, I only update on Fridays :/ Something to look forward to, perhaps? Thanks for the review! :)**

**_aliceindeepdarkwonderland_****: It's a good question. Technically, she's the mother, but if Camille takes over, I guess it would make her a nanny of sorts. Thanks for the review! :)**

**_Rosay Chere Khann_****: It's a pity that more people aren't like him. I'm glad you liked it! I was considering having Natasha give him a hard time, but I decided against it. Thanks for the review! :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own MARVEL or any of their affiliates. I am not making any money by writing this. **

Chapter Twelve:

October 20th - 31st

Natasha's P. o. V:

After about a week after my pregnancy was revealed, the gossip around me died down. I still get dirty looks, and the occasional rude comment is thrown my way, but school is tolerable. Camille is overbearing, trying to make sure that everything is going perfectly. I am about four months pregnant now. My belly is started to be visible, even with my most baggy sweatshirt.

Camille made me go to my first ultrasound a couple weeks ago. She did not wish to know the gender, so I was not told. The baby appears to be healthy, and is developing appropriately. Apparently, I have not gained as much weight as I should have, so Camille has been supplementing my meals with different things that are supposed to be good for the baby. Since then, my belly has almost doubled in size.

Clint and I have gotten a lot closer. He asked me out on a date, and I accepted. Surprisingly, Camille allowed me to go. Since then, Clint and I have gone on several more dates. We hold hands in the hallways, and this has helped to ward off some of the mean remarks. Clint is still pretty intimidating, and not many people rush to anger him. Clint and I have gotten closer to Tony, Bruce, Steve, Thor, and Loki as well. We go over to each others' houses pretty much every weekend just to hang out and be together.

Halloween is approaching, and the whole school is in an uproar. In our small town, Halloween is a big deal. Everyone goes all out, trying to outdo the others. Some of the decorations are so realistic that it's hard to tell if they're fake or not. The police were called about some fake bodies on stakes last year. I shudder at the memory. I love Halloween, but sometimes people take it too far. At least this year, I'll be able to go out with some friends. It's always more fun to be scared with friends.

Our school decorates the hallways with paper bats and cottony spider webs. Paper ghosts adorn the windows, and we are doing Halloween related activities in all of our classes. I enjoy them, because Clint and I can partner up and work together. When we are done with the activity, we are allowed to talk quietly amongst ourselves. Clint and I get on the topic of costumes. "What do you want to be this year?" Clint asks me. I consider the question before answering.

"I'm not too sure. I haven't really thought about it. What were you thinking of doing?"

"This is going to be cheesy, but what about a couple's costume of sorts?" I think it over.

"Perhaps. What did you have in mind?" One of the popular girls that always torments me hears us.

"Why doesn't she just go as a whore? Oh, wait, I forgot that she was supposed to dress up." She and her bitchy friends dissolve into laughter, high-fiving each other.

"Don't listen to them," Clint whispers to me, tightening his grip on my hand. I turn towards him, putting my back towards the girls.

"Anyways, what were you thinking of going as?"

"We could go as Little Red Riding Hood and the Hunter," Clint suggests. I mull it over.

"I like it. You could even have your bow and arrows as part of the costume!" I agree happily. Clint pulls me in for a quick kiss.

"Thank Tony. He's always calling you Red, and it triggered the idea." We sit next to each other for the rest of the hour, our legs touching.

The rest of the month passes quickly. I work on pulling together my costume. I find a hooded red cloak at Goodwill, and the rest of the costume can be put together with the clothes I have at home. At last, the day arrives. Clint and I walk home together, agreeing to meet each other later. I go into my house and begin pulling my costume together and preparing to shower. Once again, Camille is not home, but I am not surprised. This has become a habit with her. She's been working later at night to try and build up some extra money for when the baby comes.

Not that I'm complaining. She and I have been butting heads more than usual. I blame it on stress and hormones, but it doesn't make it any easier to handle. I hate her for what she's done to me.

After I take a long shower, I begin preparing for the night. I have a picnic basket for candy, and my costume is laying on my bed. Slowly, I begin putting everything on. My shirt is tight, but the hooded cloak will help to conceal my pregnancy. I don't want to be flaunting my misfortune the entire time that I'm trying to have fun.

Finally, I manage to get my costume on. A quick glance at the clock informs me that it is almost time to meet up with Clint. I head downstairs quietly, trying not to alert Camille of my presence. However, my efforts are for nothing. Camille is not even home yet. I let out a sigh of relief and head out the door, locking it behind me.

Clint is waiting for me in front of my house. I rush out to meet him. He looks dashing in leather armor, with his bow and arrow slung across his back. I can see a hunting knife sticking out of the top of his boot. Laughter bubbles up in my throat when I see what he has draped over his shoulder. "Where the heck did you find a wolf pelt?" I chuckle.

"They had a fake one at the costume store I was at, and I just had to buy it," Clint explains, a smile on his face. I laugh and link arms with him. We walk down the street, heading towards downtown to meet up with our friends. Finally, we see them. Tony and Bruce are dressed up as mad scientists. Loki and Thor are dressed like the Norse Gods that they were named after. Steve decided to go as a soldier, not that it's a surprise. We all begin walking down the street, accompanied by various other kids who are on the hunt for candy.

Our group trick-or-treats for at least three hours before we begin considering quitting. In those three hours, we went through at least four homemade haunted houses, and we saw plenty of lifelike decorations. At one point, there was a house with a bunch of skeletons in a crashed car. The car was programmed to honk every few minutes, and it scared our group as we were walking past. Afterwards, we laughed and joked about it, but there was no denying the brief moment of terror that we felt.

I sigh. It's amazing how much fun it can be to be with friends. Clint and I are walking home alone, the rest of our friends having headed their separate ways. I lean on Clint's arm as we walk home, my ankles swelling up, but I am content. I have almost a full basket of candy, and I really enjoyed myself. I could almost convince myself that I was a normal teenager. Almost.

We take the back way to my house, just to see if there were any new decorations or haunted houses that we missed. Most of the houses are only mildly decorated, but one house has a surprising decoration. There is a car crashed into a tree in someone's yard. "Hey, look at that. They even went so far as to add skid marks!" I exclaim, pulling Clint towards the car. Clint follows behind me eagerly, trying to get a closer look at the elaborate decoration. As we get closer, an uneasy feeling rises in my stomach, but I pass it off as trepidation. However, as we get closer, the feeling gets stronger.

I glance up at the house, wondering if something is going to jump out at us. There are no lights on in the house, and the yard is highly overgrown. The uneasy feeling continues growing, making me feel sick to my stomach.

Finally, as we get closer, I realize why. The car is incredibly familiar. I check the license plate, hoping that my suspicions are wrong. Clint continues walking towards the front of the car. Before I can say anything, he looks in the window.

"Wow, this is really detailed. They even shattered the windshield and deployed the airbags," Clint observes. "Dang, come look at this dummy! It's even more lifelike than the ones on the stakes a couple years ago. I wonder where they got it! Even the blood looks realistic!" My stomach heaves and I retch. Clint hurries over to me.

"Are you okay?" he asks me, concerned. I shake my head, vomit rising in my throat. I heave again, vomit splattering the ground. When I finally stop retching, I turn to Clint and manage to choke out an explanation.

"Clint, that isn't a dummy. It's Camille."

**As always, reviews are always welcome :)**


	13. The Morning After

**_Beverlie4055_****: I'm glad you liked it. Thanks for the review! :)**

**_sailorraven34_****: I'm glad that I was able to surprise you, and that you liked their costumes. Thanks for the review! :)**

**_LittleRed0000_****: Heh, you got that right. Thanks for the review! :)**

**_Rosay Chere Khann_****: Hehe, a lot of people wanted Camille dead. Glad I could surprise you! Nobody offed her, unfortunately. She was just really tired from of of her late *ahem* shifts, and she fell asleep at the wheel. Thanks for the review! :)**

**_Call Me Toni:_**** Aww, thank you so much! Your kind words never fail to make me smile :3 Thanks for the review! :)**

**_aliceindeepdarkwonderland_****: Nope, I don't think so! At least, that's what the majority is hoping for XD Karma certainly is a bitch. Thanks for the review! :)**

**_NaraMorris_****: I'm glad you liked it. Thanks for the review! :)**

**_acompletenerd_****: Heh, you got your wish! Thanks for the review! :)**

**Oh my gosh, you guys are the absolute best! I've never had so many reviews on a chapter before :') It's always great to see new blood in the reviews as well, not that I don't love seeing familiar names. Just, you all are amazing. Thank you! :3**

**Disclaimer: I do not own MARVEL or any of their affiliates. I am not making any money by writing this. It is for entertainment purposes only. **

Chapter Thirteen

October 31st and November 1st

Natasha's P. o. V:

Clint calls 911 while I sit in the grass, stunned. My stomach roils uneasily, and I do my best to keep the remaining contents of my stomach under control. I can hear Clint talking, but I do not comprehend the words. Camille is dead. I am free of her. Then, the crushing truth descends upon me.

Camille is dead. The child is my responsibility now. Clint comes over and wraps his arms around me, phone still pressed to his ear. "The ambulance is coming soon." A hysterical snort rises in my throat, and I struggle not to make a sound.

"What they need an ambulance for? She's obviously dead." A bubble of laughter rises up in my throat, and I roll around on the ground, laughing hysterically. Clint looks at me worriedly, no doubt thinking that I'm crazy. Maybe I am. I couldn't care less at the moment.

The sirens and flashing lights of the ambulance and police cars snap me out of my laughing fit. I hiccup quietly, and Clint hugs me tightly. "Are you okay?" I shake my head.

"I could say that I was, but I think we both know that that's not the truth." Clint nods sadly. A police chief comes up to us. We introduce ourselves to the officer.

"Sir, are you the one that made the call?" Clint nods. "My name is Officer Chris. Can you please explain what happened here?" Clint looks at me, and I shake my head.

"We were walking back to our houses after trick-or-treating, and we came upon the car. At the time, we didn't think anything of it. We though it was just another decoration. Then, Natasha recognized the plates, and we realized who was behind the wheel. I made the call not long after that." The police chief makes notes in his notebook, before turning to me.

"Ma'am, how do you know this woman?"

"She was my stepmother."

"I'm sorry to hear that," he remarks. "Do you have another relative that you can live with?" I shake my head, my heart leaping into my throat.

"Please don't make me live in a foster home!" I beg, tears pricking my eyes. I can't stand the thought of leaving behind Clint and my friends.

"I'm sorry, ma'am, but is there anyone that you could live with?" I close my eyes and wrack my mind for someone, anyone. Finally, an idea comes into my mind.

"I could live with my step-mother's boyfriend. He's our next door neighbor." The officer ponders my suggestion.

"I'll have to check with a social worker tomorrow, but for now, you can head home. You've had a stressful night." I nod, thankful for the officer's compassion. He directs Clint and I to a squad car, and we both get inside. The driver asks for our addresses. After they have been given, the officer starts driving, leaving us in silence.

Too soon, we reach Mr. Richard's house. I slowly get out of the car. The officer follows me to the door. I raise a tentative hand to knock, but the door opens before I can. Mr. Richards answers the door, looking bleary-eyed, as if he had just woken up. The officer explains what happened, and Mr. Richards agrees to become my sole caretaker. The officer thanks him and leaves, assuring him that someone would be by tomorrow morning to validate my adoption. With that, he and Clint head back to the car and disappear.

I stare at Mr. Richards, waiting for him to make the first move. He is the first to speak. "I'm sorry to hear about your step-mother." I look at him, but I cannot force myself to talk. "I'll adopt you, and you can come live with me. It's what your stepmother wanted. I hoped to marry her some day." I stare at him in shock, trying to process the information. I never knew that he and my stepmother were so serious about each other. One of the things he said earlier surfaces in my brain, and a cold stab of panic rushes through me.

"Please, don't make me move in with you! I can take care of myself. My house is paid off. I promise I won't do anything to draw suspicion to myself. I'll be good. Please!" I beg. No matter how kind he is being right now, I'd never be able to live with him, not after what he did to me. Mr. Richards considers my suggestion.

"How are you going to pay for the bills?"

"I'll get a job! I'll do something!" I cry desperately. His face softens.

"I'm going to be getting payments to support you. I can give those to you, to help supplement your income," he offers. I throw my arms around him, tears pricking my eyes.

"Thank you," I sniffle. Mr. Richards shuffles uncomfortably.

"It's the least I could do, after what I did to you." I sigh, glancing down at my swollen belly.

"I really appreciate you doing this for me."

"Just remember, you have to be careful. If they find out that you're not living with me, we'll both get in a lot of trouble." I nod.

"I'll be careful. Thank you so much!" I give him one last hug, before heading to the door. He stops me.

"You'll have to stay with me for the night. They'll be coming in the morning to have the papers officiated. You can sleep in the guest bedroom tonight." I nod, and he leads the way to the bedroom. I sit on the edge of the bed, waiting for him to leave. Finally, he does, and I collapse face first onto the bed. Exhaustion washes over me, and within minutes, I am asleep.

When I wake up in the morning, Mr. Richards is already up. I can hear him talking to someone, so I go downstairs to investigate. Mr. Richards signs some papers, and the social worker collects them. "This child is now your legal responsibility. You will receive a monthly check from the government to help pay for her. It is your responsibility to keep her in school. If she does not attend school for an extended period of time, someone will be sent to check up on her. You will have monthly checkups with me. Do you understand?" Mr. Richards nods.

"Thank you for your time." The two shake hands, and the social worker leaves. Mr. Richards notices me standing on the stairs. "Your step-mother left all of her possessions to me. The will will be settled, and a funeral will be arranged. Camille's will specified that her house was going to go to me in her will, and I told the social worker that I do not wish to sell it. I will pay for the upkeep of the house, and you can continue living there. That's the best I can do. I'm sorry." I nod, feeling numb.

"Can I go home, now?" Mr. Richards nods. I exit his house and walk back to mine. The door is locked, just as I left it. I open it and walk inside. The house feels empty, and I struggle not to cry. I will not cry because of Camille. I refuse. She's caused me enough tears. There's nothing I can do. I have to accept my fate and live with it. Crying will do me no good. Even as these thoughts cross my mind, I feel my eyes burning. Tears fall down my cheeks, but I am not sure who or what they are for.

**As always, reviews make me smile like an idiot :3**


	14. A Fresh Start

**LittleRed00000: I hope my explanation cleared things up. Thanks for the review! :)**

**beverlie4055: I'm glad you liked it. Thanks for the review! :)**

**sailorraven34: I'm glad you think so. Thanks for the review! :)**

**Rosay Chere Khann: You'll just have to wait and see what happens. ;) OH MY GOSH, I SAW IT, AND I DONT EVEN KNOW WHAT TO FEEL. THE END... JUST, GAH. THE FEELS! Anyways... Thanks for the review! :)**

**Call Me Toni: You'll have to see the note below. I'm still deciding on him. I'm glad you liked the chapter. Thanks for the review! :)**

**NaraMorris: That's what I was going for, so I'm glad you think so :) After chapter 15, I don't have any more chapters written, so I'll try to make them longer. Thanks for the review! :)**

**aliceindeepdarkwonderland: Mr. Richards is the one that knocked her up, but he was doing it on Camille's orders. Plus, what Alpha can resist an Omega in heat? At least there's that. I'd love to move Clint in with her, but I think his stepdad would have a problem with it. Thanks for the review! :)**

**A lot of people asked about Mr. Richards, and I'm still deciding if I want him to be nice, or if I want him to be an ass. I mean, he wasn't trying to hurt Natasha in the beginning, he was only doing what Camille wanted. Hmm, but making him an ass has potential. I haven't decided yet. You'll just have to wait and see what happens ;)**

**Today is my 17th birthday! :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own MARVEL or any of their affiliates. I am not making money by writing this. It is for entertainment purposes only. **

Chapter Fourteen

November 1st

Natasha's P. o. V:

I go upstairs to my room, trying to avoid the emptiness of the house. I can't believe that Camille is gone. I never liked her, but I regret that our last words were unpleasant. In her own twisted way, she thought that she was doing what was right. Angry tears course down my cheeks, and I punch the wall angrily, not caring that there is now a hole in the drywall. My knuckles are bruised and bleeding, and I relish the physical pain. I throw myself down on my bed, trying to block out everything. I feel my phone buzz next to me.

Wearily, I lift my head, checking to see who the text is from. Of course it's from Clint. He wants to know what happened after he left last night. I quickly fill him in, and he texts me back almost immediately, telling me that he'll be over in about fifteen minutes. I hurriedly straighten my clothes up and run a brush through my hair. My eyes are red and puffy, but I can't force myself to put any makeup on. Clint would see right through it anyways.

Clint rings the doorbell, and I hurry down the stairs. He immediately pulls me into a hug. "Are you holding up?" I nod.

"I had a meltdown before you came, but I'm sure you already knew that." Clint chuckles slightly, pulling me in tightly.

"I wasn't going to say a thing." I smile, and we separate. Clint looks around the house. "It feels so empty." I sigh, tears pricking my eyes. I angrily wipe them away. "How are you going to afford to stay here?"

"Mr. Richards is going to use the welfare checks to keep the house running. I'm going to have to pay for the food, though. I need to find a job, and I need to do it quickly. I'm almost out of food as it is, and Lord knows that I eat a lot now," I trail off, cracking a small smile. Clint gives me a gentle kiss.

"Do you want to go looking today? It's Saturday, and a bunch if businesses downtown are hiring. It'll help keep your mind off of everything," Clint offers. I shrug.

"Okay. I'm going to go shower. I look like hell."

"You look beautiful," Clint grins, giving me a kiss.

"Lying's a sin, you know!" I call over my shoulder.

"Good thing I wasn't lying!" A small smile forms on my lips. Clint never fails to cheer me up. I hurry through my shower and quickly throw on some clothes. Even my baggiest sweatshirt is stretched across my belly. With a sigh, I head downstairs. Clint is waiting for me. "Are we ready?" I nod, and we head out the door. I lock up behind me, and Clint and I walk down the street.

The first shop we find that's hiring sells jewelry. Clint and I walk in to enquire about the job, but as soon as the manager sees me, she turns up her nose and stalks away. "I can't have a trashy little slut working here! What would the customers say?" Anger rushes through my veins, and I quickly turn around and leave. Clint follows close behind me.

"Well, that was a bust! Shall we continue?"

Clint and I continue searching for several hours. None of the stores will hire me because I'm pregnant. As a last resort, Clint and I walk into a small mom-and-pop grocery store that's hiring. I shuffle inside, waiting for rude words to be thrown at me. However, when they don't come, I look up. A kind looking lady is standing behind the desk, watching me. "May I help you?" she asks. I nod.

"I was hoping to apply for a job," I whisper, waiting for the inevitable rejection. She hands me a form.

"Just fill this out, and we'll let you know if we can hire you!" she smiles. I take the form, not daring to believe my luck. I quickly fill the form out and hand it back to her. She looks it over.

"Do you have any parents or guardians that we can contact?" I shake my head, before remembering Mr. Richards.

"Wait, I do. He's my neighbor." I give her the number, and she calls him. After a short conversation, she hangs up and turns to me, smiling.

"It looks like you've got the job! Because you're under the age of 14, I have to make sure that what you do is legal, but other than that, welcome to the family!" I grin at her happiness.

"You aren't going to turn me away because of my condition?" She shakes her head.

"No, I'm not. Your neighbor explained what happened, and you seem like a very polite young lady."

"Thank you so much, Mrs.?" I trail off, unsure what to call her.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. Where are my manners? I'm Linda Smith, but you can call me Linda. You're Natasha, and who is this with you?"

"This is Clint, my boyfriend." Clint dips his head respectfully.

"It's wonderful to meet you, ma'am." Linda smiles.

"Likewise." I decide that I like Linda. She has a genuine smile, and she is not judgmental like most of the people in this town. The door hanging above the door rings, and I look up. An older man has walked through the door. Linda beams at him. "Natasha, this is my husband, Rick. Rick, this is our new employee, Natasha." Rick crosses the space between us in a few step and extends his hand to me.

"Nice to meet you! Who's this?" he asks, gesturing to Clint. Clint introduces himself, and Rick extends his hand to him as well. "It's nice to meet both of you. Is it okay if you work from 3-7 after school? You can bring your homework to work on when we're not busy," Rick offers. I nod happily.

"Thank you so much. You're the only ones that accepted me." Linda pulls me in for a hug.

"It's okay, sweetie. It wasn't your fault." I squeeze her tightly, and then release her. Clint and I thank them again, and then head out. It is getting late, so we grab a bite to eat and head back to my house. Clint gives me a hug and a kiss, and then begins heading home. I close and lock the front door before heading upstairs. I lay down on my bed and fall asleep instantly, glad that someone decided to give me a chance.

**As usual, reviews always make me happy :3**


	15. Old Habits Die Hard

**_beverlie4055_****: I'm glad. Thanks for the review! :) **

**_aliceindeepdarkwonderland_****: Thanks :3 I'm glad you like Linda. It's hard for me to make up OC's. You'll have to wait and see ;) Thanks for the review! :)**

**_Rosay Chere Khann_****: Aww, thanks, bae! Aww, Halloween buddies! It's smooth sailing for now, but nothing good can last forever, right? Thanks for the review! :)**

**_Call Me Toni_****: I'm glad you like her :) It's hard to make OC's original and likable. Nah, he didn't lie. He explained the circumstances, including how Camille ordered him to do it, and how Natasha was in heat. Typically, in Omegaverse, Omegas don't have rights, and an Alpha has every right to claim an unmated Omega in heat. Sorry, I should have explained that XD I have a horrible habit of assuming that everyone knows exactly what I'm thinking, which is impossible XD thanks for making me specify! Hmm, that would be a nice place for Clint to work. I'm glad you like it. Thanks for the review! :) **

**_sailorraven34_****: I had so many feels while writing it :3 It's nice for her to get some help. Thanks for the review! :)**

**I'm so sorry for not responding in a PM, like I usually do. This week has been insanely busy, and I haven't had a lot of time to myself. My deepest apologies to all of my lovely reviewers. **

**This is the last chapter that I have prewritten, and I'll try to have a new chapter up every Friday, but there are no guarantees. Believe me, I'll try my best! Stick with me and be patient if updates are a bit irregular, please :3 **

**Disclaimer: I do not own MARVEL or any of their affiliates. I am not making any money by writing this. It is for entertainment purposes only. **

Chapter Fifteen

November 3rd

Natasha's P. o. V:

I hurry through getting ready on Monday morning, not wanting to spend any more time in the empty house than I have to. Clint is waiting for me outside. "How are you doing?" he asks, searching my face. I'm suddenly glad that I cried before I showered.

"I'm doing okay. It's hard. I mean, I hated her, but now that she's gone, I miss her. She rescued me from that horrible orphanage. Even though she forced me to become pregnant for her, she thought she was doing the right thing. It's just hard to believe that I'll never see her again." Tears prick my eyes, but I refuse to let them fall. Clint squeezes my hand gently.

"Do you know when the viewing and funeral are going to be?" I nod.

"Mr. Richards told me that the viewing will be tomorrow from 6:00 - 10:00, and the funeral will be at 11:00 in the morning on Wednesday."

"This may be a stupid question, but are you going?" Clint asks tentatively. I nod.

"Even though I didn't like her, it would be disrespectful not to go. I owe her that much for adopting me and taking care of me." We walk in silence for a while. Soon, the school appears in front of us.

"News of the accident will have spread by now. People are probably going to comment on it, but don't let it bother you. They're only trying to get a rise out of you." I know this to be true, but I still dread going to classes.

"As long as I'm with you, I'll be fine." Clint gives me a quick kiss. I hear a gagging noise. Tony walks up to us, followed by the rest of our friends.

"Break it up, you two!" Tony jokes. Clint and I laugh self consciously. Thor walks up to me and envelopes me in a tight hug.

"I'm so sorry to hear about your loss," Thor booms. I whisper a thank you to him, before everyone in the group traps me in a hug. I allow my eyes to fill with moisture, glad that I have such amazing friends.

"I don't deserve you guys," I sniffle. Everyone immediately begins protesting. The bell rings, and we all file inside, getting ready for the day. As usual, Clint and I are the first ones in the gym locker room.

I begin changing, hoping to be fully dressed before anyone else comes in. The tank-top I always wear accents my growing baby bump, making it incredibly obvious that I'm pregnant. However, just as I am reaching for my gym shirt, I hear people come in. They are talking about the accident. "Did you hear about the prostitute that got into a crash on Halloween?"

"Serves the slut right!" I feel sick to my stomach, and for a second, I worry that I might puke. "Speaking of sluts, there's one right there!"

"How does it feel to know your step-mom is dead? Now you're going to have to take care of the kid yourself, you little whore!" Tears prick my eyes, and Clint comes I stand next to me.

"Leave. Her. Alone," Clint growls menacingly. The girls shoot each other terrified looks before heading to their lockers to get their clothes.

"Thanks for that," I sniff, wiping the tears from my eyes. Clint gives me a hug and a kiss.

"You're very welcome. Just ignore them. They're being bitches." We both head out into the gym to do our warm-up laps. While we run, I think about what the girls said. Am I really just a no-good slut? Is the only thing I can do is pop out babies? My face burns with shame, and hot tears threaten to fall. I don't know how much more I can handle until I snap.

Clint and I finish running, and we go get our drinks while the rest of the class is running. When we return to the gym, Coulson is writing the agenda on the board. We will be playing dodgeball today. I hope that Clint and I are on the same team.

When everyone has finished running, Coulson has us gather around him. "Today, we are going to be playing dodgeball. I will pick the teams. No intentional headshots, or you will sit out for the rest of the class, and you'll get an F for the day. Does everyone understand?" We all murmur our agreement, and Coulson begins listing off the teams. To my dismay, Clint and I are on opposite teams.

Everyone splits off into their teams, and Coulson begins laying the balls out. I survey my team, pleased to see that there are only a few of the classmates that tease me. My attention snaps back to the game when Coulson blows the whistle, signaling us to begin.

I race up to the line and grab a ball, throwing it at a person on the other team. The ball hits them in the thigh and then falls to the ground. I grin as Coulson's whistle signals them out.

Someone tries to hurl a ball at me, but I manage to catch it. Coulson's whistle sounds, and the person who threw the ball heads to the sidelines. Soon, Clint and I are the only people remaining from our teams. We both watch each other carefully, trying to see an opening.

Coulson blows his whistle an calls for a tie. Everyone files back onto the court, and a new game begins. Everyone targets me, trying to get me out, but I manage to deflect most of the balls. However, while I am distracted, one of the bitchy girls on my team picks up a ball and hurls it at me. I hear Clint's warning to watch out, and I turn around quickly. Before I have time to react, a ball slams into my face.

I fall backwards, surprised, my eye already swelling shut. Coulson's whistle cuts through the air, and the game stops. "Claire, you're out, and you get an F for today." Claire looks furious.

"Why?! I didn't do anything wrong. She got in the way of my shot!"

Coulson glares at her, and she stalks off of the court. "Totally worth it. The whore should be used to having balls in her face!" My face turns hot with shame. Clint rushes over to me.

"Are you okay?" he asks worriedly. I nod, but I can't prevent tears from falling down my face. Coulson walks over.

"I'm sorry about that. She's going to be suspended for her comments. Do you need to go to the nurse?" I try to shake my head, but Clint speaks up.

"Yes. She needs to get ice for her eye." Coulson excuses me, and I head to the locker room to change, my cheeks burning with embarrassment. Clint is not allowed to come with me. I search through my bag to find my clothes, stopping when I come across something wrapped in tissue.

Carefully, I pull it out. It is a small rectangular package. I unwrap it quickly, then sit back and stare at it. It is one of my cutting razors. I completely forgot about it until now. The scars on my stomach tingle, and the urge to open the skin on my belly overwhelms me. It's been so long.

I think back to what everyone is saying about me. I can only imagine what comments are being made about me now. Hot shame floods through me, and I make up my mind. I only have five minutes until class ends, so I'll have to be quick. Just a few cuts, and I'll feel better. I know it.

Quickly, I gather my clothes and the razor, glad that I wore a black tank-top today. It'll hide the blood. I make my way to the bathroom stall and lock myself in. After changing out of my gym clothes, I raise my shirt and get ready to cut.

My skin tingles, awaiting the first cut. I pick the razor up and lower it towards the swell of my belly. However, before the blade can touch my skin, an invisible force stops me. The blade hovers an inch above my skin, unable to go any farther. Despite my best efforts, the blade won't budge. Suddenly, I remember Camille's orders not to intentionally harm myself or the baby.

An inhuman growl escapes my lips, and frustrated tears fall down my cheeks. Even after she's dead, Camille is still managing to make my life hell. I can hear people beginning to enter the locker room, so I quickly silence myself.

The bell rings a few minutes later, and everyone files out, heading to their next class. I hear footsteps approaching the stall, and someone knocks on the door. "I know you're in there, Tasha. You left your bag out on the bench. Unlock the door." Shakily, I get up and unlock the door, not caring that my face is a teary mess. Clint takes one look at me and pulls me in for a hug. Suddenly, he stiffens.

I forgot that the razor was in plain view. Clint pulls away from me, and fresh tears threaten to fall. Clint puts his hand under my chin and forces me to look up at him. "Where did you cut yourself? Let me see," Clint gently urges. I shake my head.

"I didn't cut myself. I couldn't cut myself," I whisper. Clint looks at me curiously. I quickly fill him in on why. He pulls me in for a tight hug. When he pulls away, he leaves his hand on my stomach, tracing the raised patterns of my previous cuts. I feel a flutter inside me, and Clint looks at me in awe.

"Was that - ?" he trails off, his eyes shining with joy. I nod.

"It was a kick. The baby is always more active when you're around," I admit shyly. Clint looks at me in awe.

"God, I love you!" Clint proclaims, kissing me. I since slightly as his hand brushes against my bruised face. Clint notices and pulls away. "We need to get you to the nurse." I nod, beginning to gather up my things. Clint follows suit, and we exit the locker room together. The bell rings, signaling the beginning of second hour. Clint shrugs. "Mrs. Rogers likes me. She'll give me a pass."

We both walk down the hallway, hand in hand. Suddenly, I turn to Clint. "Clint, I've been thinking... Would you be willing to come to the viewing and funeral with me?" Clint nods, and I can feel a huge load being lifted off of my shoulders.

"Of course. Anything for you," Clint smiles, kissing me. We continue towards the nurse, happiness blossoming in me for what seems like the first time in forever. With Clint's help, I can get through this.

**As always, reviews are the most amazing things ever, and they never fail to put me in a good mood :)**


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